1 John 3-5

New International Version

3 See what great love^(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^(C) ²Dear friends,^(D) now we are children of God,^(E) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^[a]^(F) we shall be like him,^(G) for we shall see him as he is.^(H) ³All who have this hope in him purify themselves,^(I) just as he is pure.^(J)

⁴Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.^(K) ⁵But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.^(L) And in him is no sin.^(M) ⁶No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.^(N) No one who continues to sin has either seen him^(O) or known him.^(P)

⁷Dear children,^(Q) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(R) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^(S) ⁸The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(T) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(U) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^(V) ⁹No one who is born of God^(W) will continue to sin,^(X) because God’s seed^(Y) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰This is how we know who the children of God^(Z) are and who the children of the devil^(AA) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love^(AB) their brother and sister.^(AC)

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹For this is the message you heard^(AD) from the beginning:^(AE) We should love one another.^(AF) ¹²Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(AG) and murdered his brother.^(AH) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^(AI) ¹³Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[b] if the world hates you.^(AJ) ¹⁴We know that we have passed from death to life,^(AK) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^(AL) ¹⁵Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(AM) is a murderer,^(AN) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(AO)

¹⁶This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.^(AP) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.^(AQ) ¹⁷If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,^(AR) how can the love of God be in that person?^(AS) ¹⁸Dear children,^(AT) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(AU)

¹⁹This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹Dear friends,^(AV) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God^(AW) ²²and receive from him anything we ask,^(AX) because we keep his commands^(AY) and do what pleases him.^(AZ) ²³And this is his command: to believe^(BA) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(BB) and to love one another as he commanded us.^(BC) ²⁴The one who keeps God’s commands^(BD) lives in him,^(BE) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(BF)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(BG) do not believe every spirit,^(BH) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^(BI) ²This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(BJ) is from God,^(BK) ³but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(BL) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(BM)

⁴You, dear children,^(BN) are from God and have overcome them,^(BO) because the one who is in you^(BP) is greater than the one who is in the world.^(BQ) ⁵They are from the world^(BR) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(BS) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[c] of truth^(BT) and the spirit of falsehood.^(BU)

God’s Love and Ours

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another,^(BV) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(BW) and knows God.^(BX) ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^(BY) ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(BZ) into the world that we might live through him.^(CA) ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(CB) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^(CC) ¹¹Dear friends,^(CD) since God so loved us,^(CE) we also ought to love one another.^(CF) ¹²No one has ever seen God;^(CG) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(CH)

¹³This is how we know^(CI) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^(CJ) ¹⁴And we have seen and testify^(CK) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^(CL) ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(CM) God lives in them and they in God.^(CN) ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(CO) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^(CP) ¹⁷This is how love is made complete^(CQ) among us so that we will have confidence^(CR) on the day of judgment:^(CS) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(CT) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹We love because he first loved us.^(CU) ²⁰Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(CV) is a liar.^(CW) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(CX) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^(CY) ²¹And he has given us this command:^(CZ) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(DA)

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(DB) that Jesus is the Christ^(DC) is born of God,^(DD) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^(DE) ²This is how we know^(DF) that we love the children of God:^(DG) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(DH) And his commands are not burdensome,^(DI) ⁴for everyone born of God^(DJ) overcomes^(DK) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(DL)

⁶This is the one who came by water and blood^(DM)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^(DN) ⁷For there are three^(DO) that testify: ⁸the^[d] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹We accept human testimony,^(DP) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(DQ) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(DR) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(DS) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(DT) and this life is in his Son.^(DU) ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(DV)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(DW) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^(DX) ¹⁴This is the confidence^(DY) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.^(DZ) ¹⁵And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know^(EA) that we have what we asked of him.^(EB)

¹⁶If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.^(EC) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.^(ED) I am not saying that you should pray about that.^(EE) ¹⁷All wrongdoing is sin,^(EF) and there is sin that does not lead to death.^(EG)

¹⁸We know that anyone born of God^(EH) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one^(EI) cannot harm them.^(EJ) ¹⁹We know that we are children of God,^(EK) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.^(EL) ²⁰We know also that the Son of God has come^(EM) and has given us understanding,^(EN) so that we may know him who is true.^(EO) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.^(EP)

²¹Dear children,^(EQ) keep yourselves from idols.^(ER)

Footnotes

1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known
1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.
1 John 4:6 Or spirit
1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. ⁸And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)

Psalm 37

New International Version

Psalm 37^[a]

Of David.

¹Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious^(A) of those who do wrong;^(B)
²for like the grass they will soon wither,^(C)
like green plants they will soon die away.^(D)

³Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land^(E) and enjoy safe pasture.^(F)
⁴Take delight^(G) in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.^(H)

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him^(I) and he will do this:
⁶He will make your righteous reward^(J) shine like the dawn,^(K)
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still^(L) before the Lord
and wait patiently^(M) for him;
do not fret^(N) when people succeed in their ways,^(O)
when they carry out their wicked schemes.^(P)

⁸Refrain from anger^(Q) and turn from wrath;
do not fret^(R)—it leads only to evil.
⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,^(S)
but those who hope^(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.^(U)

¹⁰A little while, and the wicked will be no more;^(V)
though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹But the meek will inherit the land^(W)
and enjoy peace and prosperity.^(X)

¹²The wicked plot^(Y) against the righteous
and gnash their teeth^(Z) at them;
¹³but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.^(AA)

¹⁴The wicked draw the sword^(AB)
    and bend the bow^(AC)
to bring down the poor and needy,^(AD)
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
¹⁵But their swords will pierce their own hearts,^(AE)
    and their bows will be broken.^(AF)

¹⁶Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth^(AG) of many wicked;
¹⁷for the power of the wicked will be broken,^(AH)
but the Lord upholds^(AI) the righteous.

¹⁸The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,^(AJ)
and their inheritance will endure forever.^(AK)
¹⁹In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰But the wicked will perish:^(AL)
Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.^(AM)

²¹The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;^(AN)
²²those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses^(AO) will be destroyed.^(AP)

²³The Lord makes firm the steps^(AQ)
of the one who delights^(AR) in him;
²⁴though he may stumble, he will not fall,^(AS)
for the Lord upholds^(AT) him with his hand.

²⁵I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken^(AU)
    or their children begging^(AV) bread.
²⁶They are always generous and lend freely;^(AW)
    their children will be a blessing.^[b]^(AX)

²⁷Turn from evil and do good;^(AY)
then you will dwell in the land forever.^(AZ)
²⁸For the Lord loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.^(BA)

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed^[c];
the offspring of the wicked will perish.^(BB)
²⁹The righteous will inherit the land^(BC)
and dwell in it forever.^(BD)

³⁰The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,^(BE)
and their tongues speak what is just.
³¹The law of their God is in their hearts;^(BF)
their feet do not slip.^(BG)

³²The wicked lie in wait^(BH) for the righteous,^(BI)
intent on putting them to death;
³³but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned^(BJ) when brought to trial.^(BK)

³⁴Hope in the Lord^(BL)
and keep his way.^(BM)
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed,^(BN) you will see^(BO) it.

³⁵I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing^(BP) like a luxuriant native tree,
³⁶but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.^(BQ)

³⁷Consider the blameless,^(BR) observe the upright;^(BS)
a future awaits those who seek peace.^[d]^(BT)
³⁸But all sinners^(BU) will be destroyed;^(BV)
there will be no future^[e] for the wicked.^(BW)

³⁹The salvation^(BX) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.^(BY)
⁴⁰The Lord helps^(BZ) them and delivers^(CA) them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves^(CB) them,
    because they take refuge^(CC) in him.

Footnotes

Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
Psalm 37:38 Or posterity